Ukraine manager Andrea Maldera has provided an update regarding the fitness of Everton left-back Vitalii Mykolenko, who recently missed a Nations League fixture due to injury.
Mykolenko featured in Ukraine’s opening match of the international break, playing the full starting role at left-back in a 1-0 victory over Hungary. However, he was completely left out of the squad for the subsequent fixture against Georgia, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Prior to that match, Maldera explained that he chose not to risk the defender because of physical issues, though he initially suggested the problem was not overly severe.
Providing a further update ahead of Ukraine’s upcoming match against Northern Ireland, Maldera confirmed that Mykolenko remains unavailable. The player communicated that he does not feel ready to play, and the national team coaching staff has opted to respect his assessment to prevent any risk of a more serious injury.
It remains uncertain how long Mykolenko will be sidelined, but his caution is a welcome relief for Everton. Manager David Moyes’ squad currently operates with a shortage of full-back options, making an extended absence for the Ukrainian defender a significant concern.
Following the fixture against Northern Ireland, Ukraine is scheduled to host Hungary in the Nations League on Monday, after which Mykolenko will travel back to England to reunite with his Everton teammates. It is still unclear whether he will feature in that second international fixture, with caution expected to prevail regarding his fitness.
Upon his return, Everton faces a challenging stretch of fixtures beginning with an away match against newly promoted Hull City, followed by a home game against Chelsea at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and a Carabao Cup fixture against Newcastle later in the month. Given the limited depth of Moyes’ squad, maintaining full availability will be critical during this demanding period. In more encouraging news for the club, Christian Norgaard has resumed first-team training, allowing him time to regain sharpness ahead of the resumption of Premier League action.
